UAE: New Jebel Jais road to reduce travel time by 75% for motorists

PHOTO

A new road to Jebel Jais has been opened which will substantially reduce the time for motorists going to the country’s highest peak.

The Public Services Department in Ras Al Khaimah said the new Jebel Jais road from the Ring Road passes through the Wadi Haqeel area and connects to Emirates Road.

This new 8.6-kilometre road takes only four minutes and reduces travel time by 75 per cent when compared to the old route of Wadi Al Beeh to the point of connection in Wadi Shiha Road.

The department said the road is fully lit with LED lights for a safe and secure drive for adventurers and drivers.

Ras Al Khaimah is aiming to provide maximum benefits for tourists visiting the highest summit and also to keep pace with the needs of urban expansion in the emirate.

Since Jebel Jais is one of the most visited places in the country, the new road will further boost the tourism sector in the northern emirate.

Ras Al Khaimah achieved its highest-ever number of annual visitors last year, receiving over 1.13 million overnight arrivals – an increase of 15.6 per cent versus 2021. The results exceed pre-pandemic levels, indicating recovery and resilience in a volatile year.

Construction of the road involved rock excavation of around 2.6 million cubic metres, with depths reaching 80 metres and widths reaching between 100 metres at the top to a minimum of 35m at the bottom.

The Public Services Department said a quarter million tonnes of crushed aggregate and 100,000 tonnes of asphalt were spread to make the dual carriageway.